Global warming, river flows and water resources.

Includes bibliographical references and index

Published on behalf of the Institute of Hydrology

1. Global warming, river flows and water resources -- 2. Climate change and hydrological processes -- 3. Assessing the effects of climate change -- 4. The Great Britain case study: catchments, models and scenarios -- 5. Changes in water resources in Britain -- 6. Changes in river flows over time -- 7. Changes in water quality -- 8. Implications for water resources and water management.

This book reviews the potential effect of global warming on river flows and water resources. It covers methodologies for climate change impact assessments, techniques for defining credible climate change scenarios, and models for hydrological analysis, before reviewing in some detail the many published studies into possible changes in hydrological regimes. The bulk of the book is built around a case study of the potential effects of climate change for river flows in Britain. The case study is used to illustrate methods and approaches, and is placed in the broadest context through the literature reviews. The book finishes by considering the implications of changes in river flows for water uses and river floodplain activities, as well as for the management of water resources.